A number of types of work platform systems are available on the market for use in a variety of environments, circumstances, and projects including, for example, construction or maintenance projects. Whether a project is a public works project (e.g., low bid), or a private project, reducing costs and/or maintaining costs at reasonable levels are important considerations for the parties involved (e.g., contractors and/or the owner). One environment in which work platform systems are used is along and particularly beneath structures that extend significant distances lengthwise, such as bridges. Such work platform systems can be employed for various reasons including, for example, to allow workers to perform various maintenance procedures (such as inspecting, cleaning, painting, repairing, or refurbishing) or construction procedures with respect to the structures, particularly in relation to regions along or proximate underside regions of the structures such as along the undersides of bridges. Also, such work platform systems can serve to perform a shielding function in terms of limiting the extent to which debris arising from such maintenance or construction procedures or otherwise can fall to regions beneath the work platform systems.
Various conventional work platform systems exist that can be implemented in such environments, and these various work platform systems vary in a number of their attributes. At least some such conventional work platform systems are catenary-based systems in which deck portions are mounted on wires that extend between end regions of the overall work platform systems, where the wires are further suspended at various intervals along the lengths of the wires by way of additional supports.
Although some such catenary-based systems can be relatively inexpensive to implement, at least some of these systems can be disadvantageous in certain respects. Among other things, one or more conventional catenary-based systems can be relatively difficult to erect or require conditions (e.g., lane closure) or expertise for proper implementation that are difficult to obtain or guarantee. Also, one or more conventional catenary-based systems are made of components that are limited in terms of lifespan or reusability, and/or employ components that lack sufficient durability or stability or are ergonomically undesirable for other reasons. Further, at least some such conventional systems provide walking surfaces that lack desired levels of flatness (e.g., the walking surfaces bend or experience excessive undulation).
For at least these reasons, therefore, it would be advantageous if a new or improved work platform system and/or method of use (e.g., in terms of installing the work platform system) could be developed that addressed one or more of the above-described concerns, and/or other concerns.